Dr. Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, former President of the International Criminal Court and a leading voice in international criminal justice, explains why Armenia’s recent ratification of the Rome Statute is a significant step both legally and symbolically. She explores what ICC membership means for smaller states like Armenia, how the court has evolved over the past two decades, and why international justice remains challenging in a politically fractured world. Dr. Fernández also outlines how Armenia can play an active role in strengthening the ICC and why cooperation among member states is crucial for the court’s effectiveness and survival.
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Ronald Suny: “Empires and the Making of Nations in the
Ronald Grigor Suny, a distinguished professor of history at the University of Michigan and emeritus professor of political science and history at the University of Chicago, delivered a speech on June 25 in Batumi at a symposium organized by the Monterey Initiative in Russian Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. The 2025 Monterey Summer Symposium on Russia took place in Batumi, Yerevan, and Tbilisi from June 25 to July 13.
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22nd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival kicks off
The 22nd edition of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival has officially begun. This annual celebration of cinema is taking place from July 13 to 20, and as always, it will present competition films from various countries, along with selections from some of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, such as Cannes and Berlin. Renowned figures from the global film industry have arrived in Armenia to share their expertise and artistry with local cinephiles.
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Armenian flower growers sound alarm as Russian imports ban persists
By Alexander Pracht A growing sense of alarm is spreading among Armenia’s flower producers, as Russia’s ban on floral imports from the country, introduced last month, remains in effect. Last Friday, dozens of greenhouse owners in Armavir province, one of Armenia’s main floriculture hubs, staged a protest demanding swift government action to resolve the standoff with Russia. The demonstrators, who rely heavily on the Russian market, warned that without a breakthrough, they would escalate their protest by blocking a highway to Yerevan. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with my 60,000 flowers that are about to blossom,” one […]
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Jailed Armenian tycoon Karapetyan signals launch of new political force
By Zhanna Avagyan Jailed Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan has announced plans to form a new political force, marking his most direct challenge yet to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government. In a statement released on Monday, Karapetyan said his team was beginning the process of establishing a political force aimed at uniting the public around “justice and a better future.” “I deeply respect the political forces and figures who have fought against Nikol Pashinyan’s anti-national regime,” the statement read. “But we have our own vision for building a better Armenia. We will move forward with our own team, without ruling out […]
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Yerevan protest calls for urgent action for Artsakh Armenians
On July 12, demonstrators gathered in Freedom Square in Yerevan to protest the Armenian government’s declining support for displaced Artsakh Armenians. The rally drew roughly hundreds of people and included both Armenians from Artsakh and others showing solidarity.
